Means for securing umbrella ribs



Sept. 11, 1956 N M W|TTMAN 2,762,383

MEANS FOR SECURING UMBRELLA RIBS Filed Sept. 122,V 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 jdn/622502' /1/0/7/20/2 MZK/22022 Sept. 11, 1956 N. M. WITTMAN 2,762,383

MEANS FOR SECURING UMBRELLA RIBS Filed Sept. 22, 19753 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O This invention relates to improvements in umbrella rib securing means.

The invention is more particularly concerned with an improved structure in umbrella rib securing means for facilitating the attachment of umbrella ribs thereto, whereby the ribs may be individualy, readily and easily detached for repair or replacement without affecting the attachment of the remaining ribs.

It has heretofore been the prevailing practice -to provide umbrella rib securing means with an annular pivot member such as is indicated in the patents Schultz et al. 1,141,494 and Haydn 2,635,616.

In the first patent structure, the annular pivot member is clamped in position by tongues 14 intermediate which are umbrella rib and receiving notches.

In the second patent structure, the pivot member is ICC ring vmember as observed in the plane of line 9-9 on Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of a secondary ring member for operative association with the primary ring member of Figure 8.

Figure l1 is an edge view of the secondary ring member.

Figure 12 is ya top plan View of the assembled primary and secondary ring members together with the displaceable pivot members for the umbrella ribs, and

Figure 13 is an enlarged fragmental diametrical seci tion as observed inthe plane of line 13-13 on Figure l2.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and rst to Figures l to 7, 1l) designates a primary ring member and 11 designates a secondary ring member which has an operative cooperation with the primary ring member as will hereinafter appear.

The ring members are adapted for operative association with a sleeve in any desired manner and such as is p generally shown in the referred to patents, the sleeve extending through the central openings 10' yand 11 in the ring members.

The primary ring member 10 is similar in form to that illustrated in Fig. V of the Schultz et al. patent and embodies a at body portion 12 having bolt receiving apertures 13 therein. The body portion is provided with provided by a wire extending through apertures in lugs and whose opposite ends are twisted together.

In the first patent structure the braces or ribs are pro' vided with hooks at their inner ends but with the continuous pivot member the ribs cannot be individually removed without detachment of their outer ends.

In the second patent structure the inner ends of the ribs are provided with closed eyes and accordingly the wire pivot member would need be removed or cut, -thereby effecting the pivotal connections of lal1 the ribs in the event it is found necessary to replace a single rib.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide improved umbrella rib securing means whereby the inner ends of umbrella ribs may be detached individually without in any way effecting the pivotal connections' ofthe inner ends of the remaining ribs.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Y Figure 1 is a top plan view of ya primary ring member embodied in the invention.

Figure 2 is a diametrical sectional view of the primary ring member as observed in the plane of line 2-2 on Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a secondary ring member for operative association with the primary ring member.

Figure 4 is a diametrical sectional view of the secondary ring member as observed in the plane of line 4 4 on Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the assembled ring members and showing the inner ends of a plurality of umbrella ribs in pivotal connection with the ring members.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing the secondary ring member in its initial position on the primary ring member.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmental diametrical sectional view as observed in the plane of line 7-7 on Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the primary ring member of a second structural embodiment of the invention.

Figure 9 is a diametrical sectional view of the primary vthe projecting ends of-the circumferentially spaced inwardly bent tongues 14 which intermediate their ends provide rib end receiving slots 15 An individual wire pivot member 16 is clamped in position by each tongue 14 and corresponding ends of the pivot members project into the slots 15 as indicated at 17.

The free ends of the projecting pivot portions 17 are spaced a predetermined distance from theopposite sides `of the slots 15 as indicated at 18 and for a purpose later to appear.

The secondary ring member 11 is provided with a plurality of lugs 19 of the same circumferential spacing as the slots 15 and which project at right angles from the ring member kand such lugs may advantageously be provided by stamping same from the body of the ring member as is indicated at 20.

The ring member 11 is provided with elongated openings 21"for cooperation with the apertures 13 of the lugs 19 and are provided with circumferentially aligned apertures 22.

In the assembly of umbrella ribs R, the reduced apertured ends r thereof are entered into spaces 18 between pivot members and corresponding sides of the slots 15, whereafter such rib ends are moved along the projecting pivot members into adjacency to the opposite sides of the slots as indicated in Figure 1.

The secondary ring member 11 is then applied in face to face contact with the primary ring member 10 with the lugs 19 being entered through the spaces 18 as indicated in Figure 6. The ring member 11 is then rotated to the position in Figure 5 with the pivot ends projecting through the apertures 22 inthe lugs 19 and with the lugs conning the rib ends r in their pivotal positions as indicated in Figure 5.

Bolts 23 are then extended through apertures 13 and yaligned openings 21 and clamped in position by suitable nuts.

With this improved construction, a single rib R may readily be removed without disturbing the remaining ribs.

In order to remove a single rib R, all that is requiredv secondary ring` 19 thereon to they position 3 end r may be stripped from the projecting pivot member 17. Replacement lof a rib will, of course, be in a reverse order.

The modilied embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figures 8 to 1-3 also provides for individual attachment and detachment of umbrella ribs and differs from the -first embodiment essentially in that the .pivot members 'are individually rcircu'rnferentially shiftable and not iixed as in the first embodiment.

The moditied structure embodies a .primary 'ring member 25, and a secondary ring member 26. The primary ring member 25 comprises a at base 27 having a sleeve receiving opening 28, bolt receiving apertures 29 and umbrella rib end receiving slots L30 which `open into the base -27 and through a circumferential flange 31 which includes a downwardly directed curved rib 32 'dening an internal .pivot |receiving channel 33.

The secondary ring member 26 is dat and is lprovided with a sleeve receiving opening -34 and bolt receiving apertures 35 for axial alignment with the bolt receiving apertures 29 in the primary ring member.

The secondary ring member 26 is provided with radially y disposed slots 36 which -are so circumferentially spaced as to be alignable with the similarly disposed slot 30 in the primary ring member.

The secondary ring member 26 is further provided with a plurality of recesses 37 opening inwardly from its periphery, there being a recess adjacent each slot 36 andto the right thereof as observed inFigure 10. -Each said recess 37 includes a marginal pivot member -receiving portion 38 together with a Aradially inwardly directed pivot locking portion 39, the recess .portion `38 at one end thereof terminating in a shoulder 40 and the P are curved on the radius of the recess portions 35 in their pivoting positions. In the assembled position of the pivot members, the secondary ring member 26 is inserted within the ange 31 of the primary ring member 2S and by insertion of bolts B within the apertures 29 and 35, the pivot members P are rigidly clamped, into position, and While the heads h of the pivot members are substantially vertically disppsed when in their retracted inoperative positions. .The bolts B are4 drawn up for 'further elaiiipin'g 'all of the pivotal members in operative position. K

From the above disclosure it Will be particularly noted that the umbrella rib pivoting means in accordance with the invention differsufrom prior structures of this kind essentially in that individual 'pivot members for the corresponding ribs are herein provided While in the prior structures the rib pivoting means consisted in a single pivoting member connected to all of the ribs and which structure rendered replacement extremely diicult.

While I have disclosed my invention in accordance with a single specific structural embodiment thereof, such is 'to be considered as illustrative only, and not restrictive, the scope 'of the invention being deiined in 'the subjoined claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

l. -In a rib securing means for umbrellas, a pair of ring members, 'one of said ring members being provided with cireulmferentially extending peripheral rolled tongues recess 37 is separated 'from the adjacent slot 36 by 'a radially disposed vtongue 41.

With this structure, individual Wire pivot members P are disposed in the recesses 37. Each such pivot meinber includes `an elongated shank .s and a right angularly disposed head h.

In the attached 'position of the end par-ts -r of umbrella ribs R, as indicated in Figure l2, the Shanks -s which rest in channel 33, traverse the slots 30--36 with the free end .portions disposed beneath the plate 26 and beyond 'the slots while the heads h thereof are disposed Within the inset recess fportions 39 whereby the pivot members are locked against circumferential Vmovement.

ln Figure 12 one of the pivot members P lis shown in its retracted position and wherein the `aligned .plate sl'ots -30-36 are unobstructed, whereby a perforated apertured rib end -r frnay 'be yinserted `into the aligned slots, after which the pivot member may be grasped by its head h and pushed i'nto the position of the remaining pivot members-in Figure 112.

:It is to be .particularly observed that Athe .pivot members with radial slots intermediate same, an elongated pivot member secured Within each rolled tongue and having one 'end portion thereof extending partially across one of said slots with a .predetermined space between the free fend and an "adjacent Wall of the slot, the said space providing for 'admission of the apertured end of an umbrella rib for passage of the said end portion through the aperture therein, and the other ring member having a plurality of ape'rtured lugs 'extendible through said spaces With `the 'said pivot members extending through the apertures therein.

=2. The struct-ure according to claim l wherein 'the iii-st ring member is provided with bolt receiving apertures and the second ring member is provided with elon- 'gated bolt receiving slots whereby said 'second ring member ifs rotatable relative 'to said first ring member for inov'e'rnent of said lgs from said spaces into adjacency uto Jrib ends 'threaded lon said extending portions 'of the pivo'tm'embers.

References Cited in the tile of this .patent UNITED STATES PATENTS `1.,`l4l,492l Y, Williamson July `6, 1915 

